Oliveira double sees Under-23s beat Newcastle

A brace from Nelson Oliveira helped Norwich City's Under-23s come from behind to beat Newcastle United 2-1 at Colney.

Adam Wilson had put the visitors ahead in the opening 20 minutes but Oliveira struck twice either side of the interval to help the Canaries move up to third in Premier League 2 Division 2.

Matt Gill welcomed senior members Oliveira and Ivo Pinto to his starting eleven, with Bilal Kamal and Ant Spyrou dropping to the bench - other than that the Canaries were unchanged from their 1-1 draw with Sunderland at the weekend.

City went close inside just two minutes when Adam Idah was played through down the right by Adam Phillips. However, after cutting inside onto his left, he smashed the ball over.

Newcastle settled the better of the two sides though and Callum Roberts twice had a pop from distance. With his first strike, McCracken produced a superb stop to beat the ball away and his second was off target.

Shortly after, Idah wasted a chance when through after a ball over the top of the defence by Nelson Oliveira, Newcastle took the lead. Elias Sorensen burst forward and fed Wilson to his left and he slotted the ball underneath McCracken.

City then moved through the gears and started to dominate possession and their pressure paid off on 33 minutes when Oliveira picked his spot from distance and found the bottom corner of Freddie Woodman’s goal with an excellent strike.

The City striker almost had a second within minutes after persistent play from Josh Coley saw the Canaries win the ball back in the final third. The ball was worked to Oliveira centrally and he went for the same corner of the goal but this time Woodman was equal to it.

City had much the better chances in the second-half. Idah went close yet again on the hour mark but Woodman managed to save his low strike. Then a superb break was instigated by substitute Spyrou with 15 minutes to play. He broke clear of Liam Gibson and cut the ball back to Coley whose strike was brilliantly tipped over by Woodman.

Idah fed Coley moments later who was again thwarted by Woodman before Oliveira grabbed his second of the game, heading home a pinpoint cross from Pinto.

City came under little pressure in the closing stages and held out for the win to make a welcome return to winning ways.